Auckland based St Cuthbert’s College is a leader in many ways. Its Junior School was one of the first in the country to adopt a 1:1 device policy in 1999. Otherwise known as Bring Your Own Device (or BYOD), the system means all students at the all girls’ school, from Year 3 to Year 13, have a device in class. But when COVID-19 threatened to close schools across the country, it accelerated that innovation further, using Microsoft Teams to take its community ties to a new level. St Cuthbert’s has a long tradition of digital device use, with students using them for everything from homework assignments to staying in touch with families around the country and overseas. When reports of COVID-19 accelerating reached school leaders in early 2020, that technical capability rose to the top of their minds. Laptops and iPads at school were one thing, but were they enough to support students and teachers if campuses should have to close?